Apparatus and method for measuring temperature of batteries and internal battery components

Abstract

Systems and methods for measuring temperature characteristics of a battery include one or more transducers coupled to the battery for transmitting and/or receiving sound waves through at least a portion of the battery. A temperature measurement unit is provided to determine a time-of-flight of sound waves through at least the portion of the battery based on transmitted and received sound waves through at least the portion of the battery, and to determine temperature characteristics of at least the portion of the battery based on the time-of-flight.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of temperature measurement, the method comprising:
 transmitting one or more test input acoustic signals into at least a portion of a test battery; 
 detecting one or more test response signals generated in response to the one or more input acoustic signals; 
 forming a test data set comprising the one or more test input acoustic signals and the one or more test response signals for the test battery; 
 comparing the test data set with a reference data set, the reference data set comprising one or more reference input acoustic signals and one or more reference response signals for a reference battery; and 
 determining one or more temperature characteristics of the test battery based on the comparison. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the test data set further comprises one or more test time-of-flight values for the one or more test input acoustic signals travelling through at least the portion of the test battery, 
 the reference data set further comprises one or more reference time-of-flight values for the one or more reference input acoustic signals travelling through at least a portion of the reference battery, and 
 wherein comparing the test data set with the reference data set further comprises comparing the one or more test time-of-flight values with the one or more reference time-of-flight values. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the test time-of-flight values are based on the one or more temperature characteristics of at least the portion of the test battery, and the reference time-of-flight values are based on one or more temperature characteristics of at least the portion of the reference battery. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein
 the test time-of-flight values are based on test signal intensities of the one or more test input acoustic signals, 
 the reference time-of-flight values are based on reference signal intensities of the one or more reference input acoustic signals, and 
 wherein comparing the one or more test time-of-flight values with the one or more reference time-of-flight values comprises comparing the one or more test time-of-flight values correlated to their respective test signal intensities with the one or more reference time-of-flight values correlated to their respective reference signal intensities. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the test battery is the reference battery, with the test data set and the reference data set having different temperature characteristics. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the test battery is different from the reference battery. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus for temperature measurement, the apparatus comprising:
 a memory; and 
 a processor implemented in circuitry, and configured to:
 form a test data set comprising the one or more test input acoustic signals and one or more test response signals for a test battery, the one or more test input acoustic signals transmitted into at least a portion of a test battery, and the one or more test response signals generated in response to the one or more input acoustic signals; 
 obtain a reference data set comprising one or more reference input acoustic signals and one or more reference response signals for a reference battery; 
 compare the test data set with the reference data set; and 
 determine one or more temperature characteristics of the test battery based on the comparison. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the test data set further comprises one or more test time-of-flight values for the one or more test input acoustic signals travelling through at least the portion of the test battery, 
 the reference data set further comprises one or more reference time-of-flight values for the one or more reference input acoustic signals travelling through at least a portion of the reference battery, and 
 wherein comparing the test data set with the reference data set further comprises comparing the one or more test time-of-flight values with the one or more reference time-of-flight values. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the test time-of-flight values are based on the one or more temperature characteristics of at least the portion of the test battery, and the reference time-of-flight values are based on one or more temperature characteristics of at least the portion of the reference battery. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein
 the test time-of-flight values are based on test signal intensities of the one or more test input acoustic signals, 
 the reference time-of-flight values are based on reference signal intensities of the one or more reference input acoustic signals, and 
 wherein comparing the one or more test time-of-flight values with the one or more reference time-of-flight values comprises comparing the one or more test time-of-flight values correlated to their respective test signal intensities with the one or more reference time-of-flight values correlated to their respective reference signal intensities. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the test battery is the reference battery, with the test data set and the reference data set having different temperature characteristics. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the test battery is different from the reference battery. 
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 form a test data set comprising the one or more test input acoustic signals and one or more test response signals for a test battery, the one or more test input acoustic signals transmitted into at least a portion of a test battery, and the one or more test response signals generated in response to the one or more input acoustic signals; 
 obtain a reference data set comprising one or more reference input acoustic signals and one or more reference response signals for a reference battery compare the test data set with the reference data set; and 
 determine one or more temperature characteristics of the test battery based on the comparison. 
 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the test data set further comprises one or more test time-of-flight values for the one or more test input acoustic signals travelling through at least the portion of the test battery, 
 the reference data set further comprises one or more reference time-of-flight values for the one or more reference input acoustic signals travelling through at least a portion of the reference battery, and 
 wherein comparing the test data set with the reference data set further comprises comparing the one or more test time-of-flight values with the one or more reference time-of-flight values. 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the test time-of-flight values are based on the one or more temperature characteristics of at least the portion of the test battery, and the reference time-of-flight values are based on one or more temperature characteristics of at least the portion of the reference battery. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the test time-of-flight values are based on test signal intensities of the one or more test input acoustic signals,
 the reference time-of-flight values are based on reference signal intensities of the one or more reference input acoustic signals, and 
 wherein comparing the one or more test time-of-flight values with the one or more reference time-of-flight values comprises comparing the one or more test time-of-flight values correlated to their respective test signal intensities with the one or more reference time-of-flight values correlated to their respective reference signal intensities. 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the test battery is the reference battery, with the test data set and the reference data set having different temperature characteristics. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the test battery is different from the reference battery.